Web feeding device



Oct. 19, 1943. B.KNAUER WEB FEEDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1942 Oct. 19, 1943. KNAUER 2,332,152

WEB FEEDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 19, 1943 Y WEB FEEDING DEVICE I Berthold Knauer, East Norwalk, Coma, assignor to Pitney-Bowes Postagc Meter 00., Stamford,

Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application August 22, 1942, Serial No. 455, 84

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a web feeding and retracting device which is particularly. useful for web or tape feeding in a metered mailing ma- 7 chine of the type wherein the Web isfed. from a non-printing. position to a printing position and later to a cutting position, then is retracted to return the leading or cut end thereof to a nonprinting position. The device of the invention is an improvement over the device disclosed in patent application Serial No. 409,504, filed September 4, 1941.

It isthe principal object of the invention to provide web feeding means which is adapted to feed the web intermittently to a printing position and to a cutting position, then retract the web uninterruptedlyfrom thecutting position vto the non-printing position.

It is a further object to provide a sectional web feed sector unit with one section arranged in spaced circumferential relation to the other to permit intermittentfeed of the web, first to a printing position and later to a cutting position, and providing means whereby the feed sectors are contractible to provide one continuous web feeding surface for the retraction of the web.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being .understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view with part'in.

' non-printing position.

' Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the web feed and retracting mechanism,'taken in the direction of the arrow 2, on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional View through the web feed and retracting unit, taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1';

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are operational views showing the web feed and retraction operations, wherein; Fig. 4 shows the completion of the first step of the feed of the Web from anon-printing to a printing position; Fig. 5 shows the second step in:

' by spacer studs 29-29.

the feed of the web toa cut position after printing; and Fig. 6 shows the'start of the retraction' of the web by the web feed sectors, with the sectors contracted to provide for the continuous uninterrupted return of the web.

The essential elements which are associated withwebprintihg are shown in Fig. 1 and comprise a printing drum Ill, an impression roller! l, the printing drum being mounted upon a drive shaft I2, which may be either hand or power driven as desired.- Also mounted upon the drive shaft 12 is 'a cam' l3, which passes through one full revolution-with the printing drum during each printing cycle of operation. Associated with the cam 13 is a lever l4 having a segmental gear portion [6 at one end and suitably supported upon a shaft IS. A cam roller ll, mounted h preferably comprises two web feed sector portions 22 arid 23. Each of the web feed sector portions preferably inoludesa pair of sector members, two at 22 and 22a, and two at 23 and 23a The sectors 22-22a are fixed to the opposite ends of a sleeve 24 which sleeve rotates freely on a sector drive shaft 25. The feed"sectors-2323a are carried by'sleeves 26-21, the sleeve ZGbeing fixed to the shaft 25. The feed sectors 22 and 22a are further joined together by spacer studs 28 -28 and the feed sectors 23--23a are joined As best shown in' Fig. 3, the feed sectors 21i- 23a are shown positioned to the outside of sectors 22 and 22a and slightly spaced therefrom by spacing washers 30-38. On the outer surface of sector 22 are two'eccentric collars 3| and 32 arranged as best shown in Fig. 1, which collars are secured by'means of screws 33 and 34respectively. A flange 35 which forms'a part of the sleeve 26 and has a substantially'pear shaped contoun is fixed to the outer surface of sector 23.

By means of a spring 36 coiled around the sleeve 24, and having one end secured to one stud 28 and the other end secured to a stud 29,

the sectors are normally urged circumferentially apart, that is, the sector section comprising the elements 23-2341. is circumferentially spaced a predetermined distance from the sector section which comprises elements 22 and 22a. The spacing between the sector sections is indicated at 31 and is limited through engagement of one edge of the large end of the pear shaped .fiange 35 with the eccentric collar 3|. Adjustment of said spacing 31 may be made by adjusting the position of the eccentric collar 3|.

As a result of said spacing, the sectors when rotated in a clockwise direction are adapted to effect an interrupted or intermittent feed of the web while moving toward the printing and cutting positions.

Cooperating with the sectors is a pressure roller 38, normally urged toward the sectors by any suitable form of yieldable pressure means such as to provide a suitable bite for web feeding.

In operation, the drive shaft i2 is rotated through one full revolution and effects a like movement of the cam I3 and printing drum Ill. Rotation of the cam l3 effects a reciprocating movement of the lever I4 about the shaft 15,-

which, through the segmental gear portion I6, is adapted to effect reciprocation of a pinion 39 fixed to the sector drive shaft 25.

On the initial rotation of the shaft '25, the tape feed sectors 23-23:]. are driven, and owing to the engagement of the flange portion 35 with the eccentric collar 3|, the tape feed sectors 22-22% aremoved simultaneously with said sectors 23-2311. The web W, which is normally impinged between the feed sectors 23-23a and pressure roller 38, is fed forward from the position of Fig. 1 to the position of Fig. 4, thus leaving the leading end thereof in the direct path of the printing drum it. As the drum I approaches the leading end of the web, an indicia die 4| will engage the web and effect printing and feeding thereof.

During the period of web printing, the pressure roller 38 is opposite the space 31 between the feed sectors 22-22a and 23-2311, thus allowing the free passage of the web. In accordance with the contour of the cam slot i8, movement of the web feed sectors is stopped while printing is effected. After printing, movement of the sectors is continued and the web is again fed from the position of printing to thereby move the printed portion of the web beyond the cutting edge of a tape cutting knife 42, as best shown in Fig. 5. The web feeding during the latter movement is effected by the sectors 22-2211.

After the cutting of the Web, which may be effected in any suitable manner, the shaft is reversely driven as a result of the further contour of the cam slot l8. In'view of the fact that the web feed sectors 23-23a are fixed to the shaft 25, a reversal of drive of said shaft will cause the sectors 23-23a to rotate a short distance without effecting rotation of the sectors 22 22a, which are now in driving engagement with the web. By this arrangement the sectors 23 23a are adapted to move to a position overlapping the sectors 22-22a, as in Fig. 6, thus providing a continuous web engaging peripheral surface for an uninterrupted return feed or retraction of the web. The drive of the segment 22-2211. is resumed when the opposite edge of the pear shaped flange engages an eccentric collar 32, as best shown in Fig. 6. Retraction of the web is thus continued uninterruptedly until the leading end has been returned to the nonprinting position shown in Fig. 1.

ill

After the sector portion 22-2211 moves beyond feeding contact with the web, the said sectors are againspread to their spaced apart position of Fig. 1 as a result of the pressure effected by the spring 36.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with web printing, cutting and retracting mechanism wherein the leading end of the Web is normallyin a non-printing position with relation to a printing drum and impression roller, driven frictional means to advance the leading end of the web to a printing position, a second driven frictional means to advance the web to a cutting position after printing is effected, means whereby said first and second frictional means are maintained in a nondriving relation with the web during printing, and means whereby the .first and second frictional means are maintained in continuous driving relation with the web to retract the web from a cutting to a non-printing position.

2. In combination with web printing, cutting and retracting mechanism wherein the leading end of the web is normally in a non-printing position with relation to a printing drum and impression roller, driven frictional means to ad vance the leading end of the web to a printing position, a second driven frictional means to advance the web to a cutting position after printing is effected, said first and second frictional means being spaced apart circumferentially to effect discontinuance of the web feed during printing, and means whereby the space between the first and second frictional means is closed to effect continuous retraction of the web from a cutting to a non-printing position.

3. In combination with web printing, cutting and retracting mechanism, means to feed and retract the web comprising, a sectional web feed segment having one section adapted to frictionally engage and advance the web from a nonprinting to a printing position, a second section spaced from the first named section to feed the web after printing to a cutting position, a pressure roller cooperating with the feed segments to feed the web, said sections being spaced apart to break contact with the web at the pressure roller while printing is effected, and being contractible to provide a continuous web engaging surface for the retraction of the leading end of the web to a non-printing position after cutting.

4. In combination with web printing, cutting and retracting mechanism, means to feed and retract the web comprising, a sectional web feed segment having one section adapted to frictionally engage and advancethe web from a nonprinting to a printing position, a second section spaced from the first named section to feed the web after printing to a cutting position, a pressure roller cooperating with the feed segments to feed the web, said sections being spaced apart to break contact with the web at the pressure roller and provide an interrupted web feed while printing is effected, and means whereby a continuous web engaging surface is provided for the uninterrupted retraction of the leading end of the web to a starting position.

5. In a web printing, cutting and retracting mechanism, means to feed and retract the web comprising, a sectional Web feed segment having one section to advance the web from a non-printing to a printing position, a reciproc'able drive connected with the first named section, a second section movable relative to and driven by the first named section to feed the web to a cutting position after printing, said sections being spaced apart to permit web feed by the printing mechanism while printing is effected, and being contractible when a reversal of the reciprocable drive having a pair of frictional web engaging surfaces with one pair nesting within the other, one pair of members being adapted to advance the web from a non-printing to a printing position, the other pair of members being adapted to advance the web to a cutting position after printing, saidweb feed members being normally urged apart to a permit web feed by the printing mechanism while i printing is effected, and being contractible to provide a continuous web engaging surface for the retraction of the leading end of the web to a starting position.

7. In a web printing, cutting and retracting mechanism, means to feed and retract the web comprising, a pressure roller, two web feed sector units each having a peripheral surface cooperating with the pressure roller to feed a web passed therebetween, a reciprocable drive connected with the sector units to effect'advancement and retraction of the web, means to provide circumferential spacing between said sectors to interrupt the web feed during a printing operation, and means to provide for circumferential contraction of the, sectors to thereby provide a continuous web engaging surface when retraction of the web is effected.

8. In a web printing, cutting and retracting mechanism, means to feed and retract the web comprising, a pressure roller, two web feed segments each having a peripheral surface cooperating with the pressure roller to feed a web passed therebetween, a reciprocable drive con-' nected with the segments to effect advancement and retraction of the web, means to provide peripheral spacing between said segments to interrupt the' web feed during a printing operation, and me'ans to effect adjustment of the segments during retraction of the web to provide for a continuous web engaging surfaceand the uninterg5 rupted retraction of the web.

BERTI-IOLD KNAUER. 

